Welcome Sonny!

Today we are having a little BABY blog hop for our sweet "12 Kitter" friend Jessica Davis who will be giving birth to her first child...a baby boy (!!) very soon :)

I made a card with one of my favorite baby sets of all time, PTI's Baby Button Bits.  I paired it with some more faves (an oldie but goodie) the Linen Background from Stampin Up and PTI's Quilter's Sampler!

I colored both the bear and the quilt patches with Copics and then stamped over the each piece with the Linen Background.  For the bear, stamped over in yellow...and for the quilt, stamped over in Fresh Snow ink.  Love how it looks like fabric!

Head over to the 12 Kits of Occasions Blog to make sure you don't miss any of the stops on the baby hop!

Congratulations and best wishes, Jessica!   XoXo

Waltzingmouse Stamps September Release Previews, Day 2

Now it's time for the spooky good fun to start at Waltzingmouse Stamps!  Claire is releasing 8 new stamp sets this Thursday, September 19th!  Today we are beginning to showcase her amazing new Halloween images!  Up first are...The Count, Splat That, and All Hallow's Eve!

For my first project, I thought it was high time to break out the crackle paint ;)

Every time I see the set The Count, I want to do the laugh..."Mwah ha ha ha!"  :)  I painted a little paper mache box with Tim Holtz black crackle paint and then distressed it further with Vintage Photo ink.  The tag was made with a Spellbinders Deckled Rectangle Nestabilities.  I stamped The Count with Versamark and heat-embossed with black powder.

The splatter (eek) is courtesy of the new Splat That set!  I thought if I stamped it in Cherry Cobbler it would be perfect for...you know, a vampire (wink)!!  Of course the images in Splat That can be used any time you need that freshly painted look!  The Count's name is part of a sentiment from the set.  I didn't use the whole thing, just colored his name with a Distress marker.

Inside is this little vampire that grows when you place it in water.  My great nephew Owen will love it!

Up next are images from All Hallow's Eve, a gorgeous vintage Halloween set!  Had to start with the raven!

I decided to make the card solely using stamped images.  The background is made by repeatedly stamping a beautiful filagree image included in the set.  

To make my moon, I placed a die cut circle on the paper, sponged around it with Tim Holtz Distress inks in Milled Lavender, Chipped Sapphire, and Weathered Wood, and then stamped the raven and the sentiment over the top.

Tomorrow the spooky fun continues with (quite possibly) my favorites images from the release!  

Until then, visit these Design Team Members' blogs today for more projects!

Iwona Palamountain

Jean Martin 

Jeanne Jachna 

Jennifer Holmes

Julia Aston 

Kelly Schirmer 

Kim Duran 

Laurie Schmidlin 

Lynn Mercurio 

Renee Lynch 

Sandie Dunne 

Teresa Kline

Tosha Leyendekker 

Claire Brennan

Waltzingmouse Stamps September Release Previews, Day 1

Welcome to the Waltzingmouse Stamps September previews!  Claire will be releasing 8 new stamp sets on Thursday, September 19th.  Today we are going stylish instead of spooky (those are coming up soon!).  She has designed some beautiful sets with her own fun twist.  Today we are showcasing Putting on the Ritz, Art Deco Backgrounders, and Opera Tags Christmas!

Up first is a party on a card created with Putting on the Ritz and Art Deco Backgrounders. I used anything and everything that I could find that was glitzy and glamorous, sparkly and shimmery!

First, I embossed the Art Deco Backgrounders with silver powder on black cardstock.

I embossed the glamour gal for Putting on the Ritz in silver as well, but then did the circular element onto the black cardstock with A Muse Studio's Diamond embossing powder.  Added some champagne bubbles and a feather ;)!  The sentiment is embossed in silver and then the frame is detailed with some Sakura Stardust pen.  I added a silvery "marquis" mat around the entire embossed piece using American Crafts Charcoal Glitter cardstock.  I wish you could see the effect in person, it looks like it's made out of real silver!!

Up next is a Christmas card featuring Opera Tags Christmas, a new set that coordinated with Claire's previously released custom Spellbinders Nestabilities set "Opera Tags."

Claire said she envisioned the tags in red, and ohhh me TOO!  I made a background using the previously released set Festive Foliage embossed in white.  Added some red gem berries.

For the tag, I also embossed the holly leaf outlines from Festive Foliage and cut them out to add to the top of the tag.  The beautiful sentiment is from Opera Tags Christmas, as well.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for more fun sets.  Until then, off you go to see these Design Team members and their fabulous creations...

Becca Feeken 

Jean Martin 

Jeanne Jachna 

Jennifer Holmes 

Julia Aston 

Kim Duran 

Laurie Schmidlin

Lynn Mercurio 

Renee Lynch 

Sandie Dunne 
Teresa Kline

Tosha Leyendekker 

Claire Brennan

Happy Birthday, Kara!

It's sweet Kara's birthday today and we are celebrating with a little hop!  Kara is known for her innovative, creative designs, and she can really rock a CAS card.  I tried to make a card suiting Kara with some die cuts....and now I see why CAS cards are HARD, lol!

I first cut with a heart die and then placed it on white paper, then cut around it with the balloon die from PTI's Birthday Style dies.

I wanted it to look like it was floating up right from PTI's Wonderful Words:  Hello, so made one of the letters sparkly red to match!  Tried to artfully place gems like confetti, but alas...I am not even sure if I did that all "modern" and "correctly" heeeee :)

But Kara...despite my funny card, I hope you have a wonderful day!!!  Please stop by JOYCE'S blog (our birthday moderator!!) for a full list of the birthday blog hoppers today :)XO

Back to School!

The first full week of school and I thought it would be fun to play along with my first Curtain Call Challenge since the theme is "Back to School"!  Here is the inspiration photo...

Here is my card,

I was thinking about THIS awesome card by Kath when I made it...I think I am a little bit obsessed with it :)!!   I loved her layout and fun patterned trees.  I added some fun cork paper from Crate Paper and dusted the edge of my black cardstock to look like a chalkboard.

Used apples from Waltzingmouse Stamps Peace and Plenty set and a ruler image and sentiment from A Muse Studio's "School Days" set.  Stamped the ruler on MME woodgrain paper to make it look more authentic.

Maybe this summer being over thing isn't so bad after all...I am feeling quite stampy lately ;)!  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Peace and Plenty, Waltzingmouse Stamps, School Days, A Muse Studio
Paper:  My Mind's Eye Stella Rose & The Sunny Side collections, Crate Paper Storyteller, PTI Black 
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI Fresh Snow
Other:  Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Circles, button, Studio Calico wooden stars, red paint, twine

A Bewitching Sketch

It's Halloween card time!  I decided to make my first one using this week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  It's by Cindy Hall and she made such a beautiful card with it seen HERE.

Out to cast her first bewitching spell of the season is Cicely at Halloween from Waltzingmouse Stamps!

First, I chose colorful papers from October Afternoon's "Witch Hazel" collection.  I have always loved the outfit Claire designed her in!  Whenever I go to color it, I think that Cicely is much too stylish to be dressed all in black!

Sparkled up portions with a Stardust pen, including the spider web die cut.  As always, had such fun with this sketch and can't wait to see what next week brings!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Cicely at Halloween, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper:  October Afternoon's "Witch Hazel" and PTI's Rustic White and Orange Zest
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers
Other:  Spellbinders Oval Nestabilities, big die from Papertrey Ink's Spider Web Trio, Sakura Stardust pen, orange gems, silver sparkle twine

Shiny Happy Die Cuts

Oh August, I am sad to see you go!  But it's the first Sunday of September which means it's Challenge Chicks Day!  This month our hostess is Jeanne and she challenged us to use DIE CUTS!  

I made a birthday card using both positive and negative die cut pieces with Papertrey Ink products, and this sketch from the Freshly Made Sketches blog by Linda Callahan...

I used a negative piece cut with the Hexagon Cover Plate as a mask and then sprayed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Yellow Daisy and Cherub Pink, and Heidi Swapp's Color Shine in Teal.  Then to match the sketch, I used the Happy Hexagon stamp set and stamped in 2 rows over the misted hexagons.

Then I used some "positive" die cuts :)- the Headline Alphabet and hearts cut from felt using the Love Lives Here dies.  I think this card will be perfect for when my girls are invited to friends' birthday parties...not too many layers and very shimmery and sparkly!

Don't forget to upload your project at Splitcoaststampers using the keyword "CHXSEP13" or link your blog post to our Facebook page HERE.

Now off to see what the other Chicks have come up with using their dies!

Anna

Diane

Jeanne

Kelli Jo

Lydia

Supplies:

Stamps:  Happy Hexagons, Think Big Favorites #1, Papertrey Ink

Paper:  PTI Lavender Moon and White

Ink:  A Muse Studio Mermaid and Berry, Fresh Ink in Celery and Basil

Dies:  PTI Hexagon Cover Plate, Love Lives Here, Headline Alphabet 

Other:  Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists in Yellow Daisy and Pink Cherub, Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Teal, rhinestone, Stardust Stickles, Autumn Rose felt from PTI